1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an outer panel for a back door for an automobile.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, in order to achieve wide rearward visibility, for example, back-door glass is bonded in the following manner (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 8-142665). An outer panel having an opening (hereinafter referred to as “glass-fitted opening”) having back-door glass (hereinafter simply referred to as “glass”) fitted therein and an inner panel for a back door are joined together to form a window frame for a rear window. Annular inner and outer protrusions are formed along an outer peripheral edge of the window frame. A concave portion sandwiched between the inner and outer protrusions serves as an adhesive groove in which an adhesive is accommodated.
The outer panel for a back door is integrated with a spoiler. The spoiler is often formed in such a shape that smoothly descends from the height of the automobile roof and partially lies over an upper portion of the glass. In other words, when the automobile is viewed from the back, an adhesive joint at an upper portion of the glass-fitted opening is hidden behind the spoiler. On the other hand, for easiness of operation, the back-door glass is generally installed in the outer panel by applying an adhesive on the inner peripheral edge of the glass and thereafter affixing the glass at the adhesive joint on the outer periphery of the glass-fitted opening, from the vertical direction of the outer panel placed on the horizontal plane. However, in the outer panel having the spoiler, the glass cannot be installed in the outer panel placed on the horizontal plane from the vertical direction because the spoiler hides the adhesive joint on the upper side of the glass-fitted opening of the back door. Therefore, a special jig has to be used to install the glass while avoiding the spoiler.